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Local Germany
24-05-2025
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: Deutsche Bahn disruption ahead and how foreigners really feel about Munich
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. Rail upgrades keep on rollin' It's been a big week for travel news in Germany, as Deutsche Bahn (DB) is pressing on with major (and much needed) infrastructure modernisation projects. The problem for passengers in the short term is that those upgrades will amount to some serious disruptions, and just in time for the summer vacation season. We learned this week that one major rail connection – which links Berlin to Hanover and also affects travel to Cologne, Frankfurt and even Amsterdam – is set to close for six months in the first half of next year . But smaller disruptions will be felt already this year and are expected to continue on until 2027. Beside work on that central line, smaller closures will be felt all over Germany through the coming season. If you're planning a cross-country train trip in the near future, you'd be advised to check out our list of all of DB's major disruptions that are already planned for the sunshine season. While delays and cancellations can be tough to bear, it's worth keeping in mind that all of these efforts are toward a more reliable rail network for tomorrow. If DB is to be believed (and yes, we realise that's a pretty big if ), then record numbers of delayed and cancelled trains each year may finally become a thing of the past. In a spot of more positive news from the rails, Italy's national rail operator confirmed plans this week for new cross-border high speed connections from both Rome and Milan to Munich to be ready by 2026. How 'unfriendly' are German cities really? A couple weeks ago we reported on a ranking of international cities that suggested Germany's big cities were the world's 'unfriendliest' – with Munich being singled out as the least friendly city in the world. And while we are well aware of the seriously unwelcoming vibes foreigners can face in Germany, we did have to wonder if calling these cities out as the least friendly in the world was really fair. Passers-by walk across a street in Munich's Haidhausen district in the early hours of the morning. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Peter Kneffel So we conducted a survey of our own, and it turns out that most of our readers who live in Munich reject the idea that it's so unfriendly. In fact, many readers said they found people in Munich more welcoming than those in other German cities, and one reader even suggested the Bavarian capital was 'more collegial than California'. READ ALSO: 'Not unfriendly' - Is Munich really an unwelcoming city for foreigners? Regarding cities in the north, we heard from columnist and hardcore Hamburg advocate Brian Melican, about how it is in fact possible to make German friends – even if it does take a bit of effort and patience. Advertisement Where is this? Photo by Lukas D. on Unsplash This little known town in the central state of Thuringia made it onto our recent list of ' Beautiful German villages to visit this summer '. Often overlooked by tourists who are more likely to flock to the German Alps or the Black Forest, Thuringia is a bit closer to travellers coming from Germany's northern or central regions and it certainly has its own charms. This image was captured in Bad Langensalza, where you can soak in healing mineral waters, explore one of the many themed gardens, or venture into nature in Hainich National Park. Advertisement Good to know In our reporting this week we stumbled upon a few practical tips that may be useful for readers currently living in Germany. For instance, if you were to fall behind on a payment for any reason and received one of those threatening reminder letters in the mail, it's good to know that you probably wont be hauled to jail . In fact, it's pretty rare to be jailed for debts in Germany -- provided you cooperate with authorities and do intend to pay what's owed when you are able. Another tip comes from a court case heard in Cologne this week. A Netflix customer had sued the streaming giant for its price increases, and the Cologne Regional Court ruled in his favour -- suggesting that in-app notices about price increases don't satisfy German consumer protections. Advertisement A representative of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Centre has suggested that you could potentially challenge other subscription price increases, if they were rolled out in the same way. Finally, for anyone seeking work in Germany, or thinking about moving here to do so, Tom Pugh rounded up five hard-facts that are helpful to understand as you put your best foot forward.
Local Germany
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Local Germany
OPINION: Yes you can make local friends in northern Germany, here's how
Last month, we asked readers in Hamburg about their experiences of living there . While a solid majority of respondents said they would recommend Germany's second city, a common theme of criticism was its inhabitants' perceived unapproachability. But is Hamburg really, as one reader put it, 'a beautiful city with unfriendly people'? Our columnist Brian Melican disagrees – and explains how to make friends in his adoptive hometown. Yes, it's true, Hamburg can be a tough nut to crack. Even those born and bred in Germany's windswept northern port city wouldn't claim that we are known for bonhomie. Our informal anthem 'City Blues' , a hip-hop hymn to Hamburg by the legendary Beginner group, puts it like this: ' Wir müssen mit allem rechnen, weil man hier sonst erfriert. Deswegen wirken wir so komisch und so kompliziert. ' Translation: 'You've got to watch out here else you'll freeze to death. That's why we seem so strange and so complicated.' Even though climate change has taken the sting off of the cold since the track was released in 2003, winters here are still long, dark, and sometimes quite depressing – and Hamburgers are still guarded, reserved, and sometimes awkward. One thing we are not, however, is unfriendly. Quite the opposite. We just have trouble showing it sometimes. Hamburg is different to many other German cities As the song says: ' Da im Süden von der Elbe, da sind die Menschen nicht diesselben ' – 'South of the Elbe river, people aren't the same'. I've also lived in Düsseldorf, for instance, whose Rhineland inhabitants are known for their gregariousness. One of their local Schlager numbers calls the old town 'the world's longest bar', and in a classic Altstadt brewery, it isn't hard to get chatting with whoever is stood next to you. Further up the Rhine, wine festivals are big social events, with anyone welcome to plop themselves down with a glass and introduce themselves. Same goes for Bavaria's beer gardens, where I challenge anyone to get through a Maß without being talked to. READ ALSO: 'They avoid non-Germans': Is Munich really an unfriendly city for foreigners? But, as anyone who has ever been out for a drink in Hamburg will know, this is not the way things work here. Pubs and bars in northern Germany have set tables for small groups, and you're expected to keep yourself to yourself. There is one major exception, of course: the area around the Reeperbahn, to which Hamburgers will only go late at night and only after they've drunk enough to feel comfortable having conversations with strangers – or, potentially, for more… Advertisement 'Here today, gone tomorrow!' In that sense, we're a bit like Londoners. Which is probably one reason I feel at home here – and, in addition to the rain, one reason Hamburg is known as Germany's 'most British' city. Not that it is, statistically speaking: Brits aren't even in the top 20 of foreign minorities (in Berlin, we're in 14 th place). A few over Hamburg harbour during the spring Hafengeburtstag festival. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH | Hartmut Zielke Hamburg is, however, very international: almost 20 percent of the city's population has come from abroad and over 40 percent have roots outside of Germany. Many more have moved here from elsewhere in the country, too, as the population has risen by almost 10 percent in two decades to 1.85 million – even as tens of thousands move away every year. Advertisement This churn leaves people actually born in Hamburg now firmly in the minority (41.5 percent). And, in another parallel to London and other cosmopolitan cities, it leads to a certain blasé attitude to Quiddjes , (newcomers) – as well as to a certain degree of annoyance among long-term residents about how difficult it has become to find somewhere to live these days. It's not that Hamburgers don't welcome new arrivals: it's just that, in an increasingly crowded port city well-used to comings-and-goings, we want to know who's sticking around before opening up (and granting forgiveness for nabbing that nice three-bed flat over the road). Another barrier to overcome is that northern Germans, although by no means as taciturn as they seem, do not always feel comfortable just chatting: sticklers for punctuality and with a keen sense of civic duty, they're usually on their way somewhere – to meet existing friends, for instance, or to take part in an organised activity. READ ALSO: New homes and an Olympics bid - What the SPD-Green coalition has in store for Hamburg How to meet people and make friends in Hamburg The key to actually meeting Hamburg locals and overcoming their initial reserve is to show that you, too, are planning to stick around – and to meet them in contexts in which they are prepared to socialise. Here are my three personal top tips. Advertisement Sports: Hamburgers love nothing more than joining a sports club: almost one in three residents has a membership (as against one in six in Berlin), so if you're wondering where everyone is, this is part of the answer! Football, of course, is big, but if you want to meet real Hamburgers, one guaranteed place to find them is on our emblematic canals and rivers: from long-established rowing clubs to new paddleboarding groups, there are organisations for all conceivable forms of water sport. ( Kayak polo , anyone?) Other recherché options include air sports (we have not just one , but two gliding clubs with their own airfields) and, er, basketball on inline roller-skates … Hamburg is also the city which gave the world a new way to sweat: Hyrox . So if you're a gym-bunny, you're sure to find like-minded fitness fanatics at your local joint. (That's where I met one of my best friends here.) People in Hamburg enjoy summer in the city. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Thomas Müller Volunteering: Northern Germans are not known for being boastful, so many people here keep their voluntary activities rather quiet. Once you start asking, though, you'll realise that one reason your neighbour is always in a rush on Saturdays is because he's visiting the local old persons' home. Your colleague, too, might be taking a couple of hours off on Tuesday afternoons to read to schoolkids (and you thought she was sneaking out to get a massage and facial). Over the years, I've met some very close friends through volunteering: in a local residents' association, for instance, and all manner of other clubs and groups. Whatever your interest, there'll be something for you. If I had any time left, for instance, I'd sign up to help Gans Hamburg count, track, and generally take care of the city's geese. (Firstly, because I think geese are great; secondly, because I just love the association's punning name!) Advertisement Work: This is a tricky one – socialising with workmates comes with attendant risks – but in my experience, people in Hamburg often meet each other through their jobs. That's because we all spend a lot of time working (and then retire to the coast) and because, once we are working together, we have a reason to talk to each other. So if a colleague or business contact suggests getting lunch together sometime, my advice would be to take the plunge. It might, however, take them a few months to ask. Whatever it is you do to meet people in Hamburg, don't expect too much, too soon. As 'City Blues' puts it: ' Wir brauchen halt 'ne kleine Wele bis wir auftau'n' – 'It takes us a while to thaw'. You can take heart in the next line, though: ' Man glaubt's kaum, aber dann sind wir echt kuschelig ' – 'Hard to believe, but then we're warm and cuddly.' READ ALSO: Five German cities ranked among the 'unfriendliest in the world' I wouldn't quite go that far, but we do make good, lasting friendships. And we're a happy bunch – Germany's happiest , actually. It's just that, like our friendliness, our happiness isn't always immediately apparent to new arrivals. Give us some time: once you get past our city blues, you'll be able to consider yourself at home!
Local Germany
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
One year on: What does the future hold for Germany's cannabis legalisation law?
Today marks the one year anniversary of cannabis legalisation in Germany, b ut while the law has clearly changed, the debate has not. Leaders of the conservative Union parties (CDU/CSU) had previously vowed to repeal the legalisation law as soon as they came back to power. With the Union gearing up to lead Germany's next government, the question remains open as to whether recreational cannabis use will remain legal through the coming term. So far, however, we've heard only 'utterly deafening silence' on the topic, as columnist Brian Melican put it in his recent analysis of the government coalition talks . That's not to say that the topic has been exhausted. A look at reports in the German media today reveals that the debate rages on, and it hasn't evolved much since this time last year. The President of the German Medical Association is still railing against legalisation – now calling for the law to be scrapped. He told Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung (NOZ) that allowing cannabis consumption is a 'danger to young people' and claims it is 'a misconception that this form of legalisation reduces damage to health'. Other opponents to legalisation include Bavaria's health and interior ministers, who both come from the socially conservative CSU. On the other side, there are plenty of experts to be found who are in favour of keeping cannabis legal, including people from some seemingly unlikely positions. Germany's police union (GdP), for example, has suggested it'd be a mistake to "completely bury" the reform. Advertisement The Federal Government's Drug Commissioner has also defended cannabis legalisation, suggesting that the focus should instead be on controlling harder drugs like fentanyl, which are increasingly putting young people at risk. Also, legalisation has not really affected peoples' likelihood of consuming cannabis, addiction researcher Jakob Manthey told Deutschlandfunk . A member of the Cannabis Social Club (CSC) Ganderkesee examines the cannabis plants in a grow space. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Hauke-Christian Dittrich Meanwhile, the general public appears to be more or less evenly split on the issues. According to the NOZ's report, 38 percent of people in Germany support keeping legalisation in place whereas 38 percent would like to see it outlawed again. Where are the promised cannabis clubs? Part of the legalisation law – which allows adults over 18 to possess up to 50 grams of cannabis – is that 'cannabis clubs' selling regulated weed to registered members could start operating in July last year. But as The Local has reported, there have been long delays and bureaucratic barriers preventing clubs from taking off in many places. Germany's federal states are responsible for regulating and issuing licences to cannabis clubs. In many cases, entrepreneurs hoping to launch legal cannabis businesses have complained that the procedures for applying for permits are unclear. Advertisement BR24 reported that as of April 1st, not a single cannabis club has been approved in Bavaria. There the state office for health and food safety has reportedly received 37 applications for a permit. So far one application was rejected, eight were withdrawn, and 28 are still being examined. READ ALSO: Bavaria moves to ban cannabis at Oktoberfest and beer gardens Reportedly 83 permits for cannabis clubs were being processed in other federal states as of the end of last year, especially in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Some German districts, however, appear to be moving forward a bit more earnestly. In the cities of Frankfurt and Hanover, cannabis businesses have been set-up to a limited extent as part of pilot projects that are planned to run for five years. READ ALSO: How two German cities will test out selling cannabis at dedicated shops Advertisement How has the law affected cannabis use in Germany? According to the Berlin police, legalisation has not yet succeeded in reducing cannabis trade on the black market. 'There is almost no relief,' a Berlin police spokesman said on RBB radio. A Berlin police report says that almost six tonnes of marijuana were seized in the capital city in 2024, significantly more than the 1.6 tonnes seized in 2023. Legalisation advocates, however, may contend that black market sales can't be expected to decrease until access to cannabis clubs or other legal businesses are more firmly established. A person smokes a joint in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Hannes P Albert In the meantime, some cannabis users in Germany are taking advantage of the newfound legal ability to grow their own supply. Adults over 18 may grow up to three cannabis plants on their property. For those who don't want to wait for clubs to open or for their own plants to grow, new online services are offering 'medical cannabis' by delivery. In many cases, users can obtain a 'medical prescription" for cannabis with a quick online questionnaire and then order marijuana products directly to their German address. Medical cannabis has been legal in Germany for several years - though of course, prescriptions shouldn't obtained on false pretences. So far, these online delivery schemes have been tolerated by the authorities - though how long they continue to be remains to be seen. FACT CHECK: Are German police really advising football fans to smoke cannabis?
